Last season, Messi and Iniesta suffered the most fouls because no one could get the ball from them. This season, Busquets has overtaken these two in number of fouls suffered because he dives everywhere.

Well, jz like always , italian football has won by playing ugly and dirty. Just like the time when they won the world cup with help from a stupid ref and a diving Grosso, now they had to rely on kicking and fouling and diving throughout the both legs, a disallowed goal by a blind ref, and a cowardly camp in box performance.

And ppl talking about a great 10 man performance?seriously? It's easier to defend with 10 men than with 11. When 11, the players are more spread out, and there's more space, meanin 8 men in the penalty area whereas 10 men means everybody in the penalty area, on ultra defensive mode, just kickin the ball away.

Anyway Barca missed Iniesta, and Inter got tru thx to the referee rulin out Bojan's goal.They prob wouldnt hav won 3-1 if it wasnt for the volcano resulting in Barca's long trip either.

And on a sidenote, I really hope Ibrahimovic goes. He's inhibiting Barca's movement. They're not as free flowin and clinical as last year. Bojan would be a good replacement too, he's in the eto'o striker mould.

Yes they were a top team, but realistically 2 years ago I wouldn't have called them a contender for winning the champions league, regardless of what players they had. Mourinho has been the difference.

And I called Barca the best in the world because technically they do have that title as they won that micky mouse tournament? Can't remember its proper name.

Brown I do realise that Ibrahimovic scores brilliant goals and has done in the past, but Piques in my opinion was just as good as anything Ibra does and it was when there was a lot pressure on in the biggest stage in the world against what would be considered one of the best defences in the world by many. I never watched Ibrahimovic a lot while he was in Italy, I've seen his goals on youtube, but that's not the same, forgive me if I'm seriously wrong but I haven't personally seen him pull out a fantastic goal when his team need it on the biggest stage in the world against one of the best teams in the world. Ronaldo, Kaka, Rooney, Messi, they all have done so, I haven't seen him do that yet.

Them losing a man didnt really change their gameplan. If anything, their attacked was sacrificed and only one person was attacking. Otherwise, everyone else just defended and booted the ball to the other half.

It got to a point that Pique was playing centre forward and Mourinho brought on some defenders who I have never heard of.

Regardless, congrats to inter. This tie was won from the first leg.

Also its fate's way of maintaining proper balance in football I think. If Barca had gone through, it would have been too humiliating for the madridistas, especially after they got outclassed 4 times in a row. Hell, if Barca had won the final in their rival's stadium, Madrid would just terminate the club out of sheer embarassment.

Yes they were a top team, but realistically 2 years ago I wouldn't have called them a contender for winning the champions league, regardless of what players they had. Mourinho has been the difference

.

PFF bolony you don't know what to invent.. same could have been said about Liverpool, Barcelona, Porto, and loads of other teams-.. No one really saw them as contenders and they won the champions league.... Inter has won the league like for 4 years now, Mourinho's been there for what? 2? Transforming a 1st position team in the Italian league, in to the finalist of the UEFA champions league is big, but many others have done it.. Its not like he had Napoli or anything.

And the "mickey mouse" tournament was last season, teams don't stay in the same good form all the time, its impossible and you should know this...

There where other teams playing as good football as Barcelona, and it was till the end to decide who was the best of the best... The rest is all opinion.

Inter were not expected to beat Barcelona. Inter were not expected to go through. Inter are not considered as good as Barcelona at the moment by many. These are opinions many many people have. I clicked information on my sky box yesterday and it said "after a shock loss at the San Siro, Barcelona now play at Nou Camp to defend their title..." Even the retards at sky that don't have a clue about sport, they just program the TV schedule thought that Inter were the underdogs.

I know it's often you see underdogs win, but my point was that they would not have won without Mourinho managing them because he gave them the tactical sense to beat Barcelona.

Say whatever the fuck you want to be honest but I still maintain that Barcelona were expected to go through over Inter from the start. Just drop it and stop been so critical over the tiny things I say and acting like I've just kicked you in the bollocks by saying them?

I don't think Inter's plan at the start of the game was to defend as much as they did. They were forced to defend at the start of the game when Barcelona went guns blazing to grab a goal, but once Inter got settled I think the plan was to counter attack, not just clear and soak up the next wave of attack. Motta's red card killed that plan, not only because Inter would be exposed with 10 men playing counter attack, but also because Motta is a key part of the attack building. He was the deep lying playmaker, and without him, Sneijder was the only one left to unlock the defence, Sneijder was carrying an injury so he played as the outlet, so there was no one able to play the killer ball. Eto'o tried to break free down the left wing, but he didn't have any support. Milito is amazing at short passes to create opportunities, but he can't play a proper long ball, and that was his only option the entire time, so he wasn't very useful in attack. Maicon would have been shot by Mourinho if he attacked any more than he did, it was his side that was attacked the most. Pretty much every other Inter player was under too much pressure from Barcelona to try and do anything other than boot the ball out.
And am I the only person who likes to watch good defending as much as good attacking? A good interception or good challenge is just as good looking to me as a nice through ball or a good dribble. I guess it's because I'm a defender.
And Wanderer, I think the refereeing fucked both sides just the same. Pique's goal was just as questionably offside as Milito's, and throughout the 2 legs Inter had 3 1v1s incorrectly called offside, and Motta's red card was a yellow at most.
As for the Ibrahimovic thing, I've posted my opinion about him too many times on these forums, so I'll keep quiet.

"A match isn't lost until after it's over." Me"The greatest glory in life lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." Nelson Mandella

No I agree with you, Mourinho isn't the sort of manager to sit back and hold on to a lead, he isn't stupid and he knew that would just invite Barcelona to attack and do what they do best. The red card just completely fucked up any sort of game plan, and that's what impressed me so much, he didn't make mistakes that even the best managers in the world could make, he stuck to his cards and made things work.

Anybody who tries to take the win away from Inter because of poor refereeing or questionable calls is a dunce. Sorry. They deserved it, they played defensively, and while it is not entertaining to watch, they still deserved it IMO.

Also its fate's way of maintaining proper balance in football I think. If Barca had gone through, it would have been too humiliating for the madridistas, especially after they got outclassed 4 times in a row. Hell, if Barca had won the final in their rival's stadium, Madrid would just terminate the club out of sheer embarassment.

Good thing Barca weren't good enough to go through eh?

On a different note everyone's pretty good with women when it comes to hookers... well except the sham-wow guy.

Wanderer wrote:And ppl talking about a great 10 man performance?seriously? It's easier to defend with 10 men than with 11. When 11, the players are more spread out, and there's more space, meanin 8 men in the penalty area whereas 10 men means everybody in the penalty area, on ultra defensive mode, just kickin the ball away.

Spot on !

Wanderer wrote:Anyway Barca missed Iniesta.

They did but I don't think that Iniesta would have done anything special other than kicking the ball around and looking for the killer pass.

Yesterday what missing was from Barca's game play was shooting and finishing.No one was willing to take the responsibility for scoring.Messi shot once on target and it brought the best out of Cesar.Surprisingly,I saw a lot of surging runs from Pique.Last night he was more decisive and influential than any other Barca player.Overall,Barca were lacking cutting edge.These matches require something special(e.g Robben's goals against Friortina,Manu,Lyon) and last night Barca lacked that.
Anyways,It is not a very bad year for Barca as people are making it to be.They reached the semi's of CL.That's no easy feat (Just ask Chelsea,Madrid).They are still at the top in the La liga but I hope they do not win it (I am a Madrid fan).Btw the curse of not successfully defending the Cl crown continues.

I wont blame mourinho for parking the bus. Attacking Barcelona in their own territory is straight up suicide. Arsenal and Stuttgart did it this year, Bayern and Lyon did it last year and all four teams got mercilessly murked. Any sensible coach would know the only way to come out alive in the camp nou is the defensive approach......even though it gets boring to watch the game in just 20 minutes.

Inter did what was required after they gave themselves the cushion in the first leg that is why they are in the final, nothing to do with negative tactics, although you will all agree that was one of the dullest semi's ive seen in recent years

Also, remember Edaurdo's dive in the qualifiers against Celtic and how everyone kicked up a fuss and he was banned (recinded of course) I think what Sergio did last last was perhaps worse and I would llike to see him punished.

If I had to pick a winner this season I think only a fool would bet against Jose Mourinho, sorry Inter. Especially with Bayerns attack seemingly only coming down one flank.

People who say something cannot be done are often surprised by others doing it.